Game apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l G. A. sWENsON GAME APPARATUS' Filed June 9, 1958 April 25, 1939.

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GAME APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v .l L/q. piler/6071)' Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED 'STATES PATENT oFFlc `mums: APPARATUS Gustave A. Swenson, Champaign, Ill.-v

Appucauon June 9, 193s, semi No. 212.801

comms. (c1. zia-12s) 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in game apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus in the form of a table so constructed that different types of games may be played thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide what might be called a combination game table, in that the game of bowling, in miniature, can

be played thereon or, if desired, the table may be used for playing, in miniature, shuille-board.

More specifically, theinvention contemplates a game table having a playing surface with one end substantially enclosed by side boards and with stalls or compartments formed by longitudinally extending partition members at the enclosed end. The partition members and portions of the side boards are removable, depending upon the type of game for which the table is to be used. As indicatedthe table may be used as a shuflle-board, the players endeavoring to propel disc-like elements into the stalls or compartments which are numbered to represent different values. If it is desired to use the table for the bowling game, the partition members are adapted to be removed, as are also portions of the playing surface. Removal of portions of the playing surface is for the purpose of providing depressions along the sides of the playing surface and for forming a so-called pit at'the rear of said surface.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts,

all as will hereinafter be more fully described, and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of playing table embodying the present invention, the table being shown fully assembled;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rear portion of the table, illustrating the removability of certain ele- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the partition members for partitioning the rear portion of the playing eld into stalls or compartments;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the discs used in conjunction with the playing table when `playing shuilie-board; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the so-called ten-pins or duck-pins to be used on the table 'cated at I2. Suitable means, for instance, small hinge members 30, may be used, if desired, for preventing accidental separation of the base It from the longitudinal sill members. The base I0 is provided with a playing surface It, the major portion of said playing surface being integral with, the base Iii, if desired, although a separate layer" of material may be used on the base for the playing surface. In using the table, the players stand at one end, the right-hand end, as Viewed in Fig. 1, and mounted along the other three sides of the base there is an upright side wall Ill. Adjacent the rear end of the table. supplemental side wall members or side wall extensions I5 are mounted on the side walls M and, likewise, at the rear end of the table, there is a supplemental wall member I6; Formed in the side wall member I4, at the rear, are a plurality of notches I1, preferably extending the full depth of the side wall extension and the side wall It proper. Engaging in each recess is a partition member I8 extending longitudinally of the playing surface forwardly from the rear walls I4, I 6, and, preferably, at their forward ends. means are also provided for securing the'se partition members to the playing surface or base, in order that said partitions will be rigidly maintained in proper spaced relation laterally of the table. Such anchoring means at the forward ends of the partition members I8 may consist of dowels I9.

At the rear of the table, portions of the playing surface are also made removable. As illustrated, there is a section 20 extending across the table at the rear end thereof which is adapted to be lifted from the base I0 and, extending forwardlyfrom said section 20, along the two opposite side edges of the table, there are removable strips or sections 2|. Beneath this section 20. there is a sub-base 20*IL which forms the so-called pit when section 20 is removed. 'Ihe vertical spacing of the removable memberlll and the subbase 20B is preferably such that the pit is approximately three or four inches in depth, although this dimension will depend somewhat on the size of the pins and balls used in the bowling game.

When the game of shuffle-board is played on the table, each player, in turn, propels a given number of discs along the surface from the front to the rear of the playing surface, attempting to deposit his allotted discs in the compartments formed by partitions I8 which are of the higher values. may have a value represented by 5 with the two contiguous compartments valued at "3" and 4 and the next two contiguous compartments valued at "1 and 2, the compartments at the outer edges having no value whatever. As will be readily understood, each player may play his set of discs any given number of times, the game consisting of as many turns for each player as may be desired, and the winning player will be that one who scores the largest total by adding together, upon completion of the game, the values of the compartments in which he has deposited his discs. If desired, the supplemental wall members I5 and I6 may be removed when the device is used for shuiile-board, as there is very little likelihood of the discs leaving the playing surface because, normally, they are not propelled with any great force.

When the table is to be used for bowling, the side board extensions I5 and I6 are installed, if they are not already in place, but the partition members I8', together with sections 20, 2l, of the playing surface, are removed. The side board extensions I5 and i6 are preferably provided with dowels 22 for securing them to the side walls I4, so that they are very readily removed and replaceable. Likewise, removal and replacement of the partition members I8 is a simple matter. With the surface sections 2li, 2|, removed, there will be formed at the rear end of the playing surface what is commonly known as the pit, and extending forwardly from said depression, along each side of the playing field, there are additional recesses or depressions commonly referred to in the bowling game as gutters. Miniature pins may then be placed in triangular formation and in regularly spaced relationship on the then rear end of the playing surface. Usually, said surface will be provided with suita- For instance, the middle compartment.

ble markings 23 to denote the points at which the several pins should be located or placed upon the playing surface. One of the pins, 24, is illustrated in Fig. 9.

One of the discs used in playing shuille-board is shown at 26 in Fig. 8, but when using the table for bowling, it is preferred to use miniature balls which might be describedv as being of a size approximating the size of the commonly known pool or billiard balls. It is believed unnecessary to describe the mode in which the table is used for bowling. as the game can be played in accordance with the well-known rules of bowling,vthe only difference being that the appliances might be said to be in miniature.

With the present apparatus, itis a very easy matter to entertain a number of persons over the entire period of an evening of normal duration because, should one form of game tend to become monotonous, the table can very readily be altered to permit a second form of game to be played.

What I claim is:

1. In a game table, the combination of an elongated base forming a playing surface, a subbase projecting beyond one end of said base, there being depressions extending along the side edges of the base at said end of the base, vertical side walls at each side and said end of said base, removable ller members for said depressions and a removable extension forming a continuation of the playing surface of the base and overlying said sub-base.

2. In a game table, the combination of an elongated base forming a playing surface, a subbase projecting beyond one end of the base with depressions extending along the side edges of the base at said end, vertical sidewalls at each side and said end of the base, removable filler members for said depressions, a removable extension forming a continuation of the playing surface of the base and overlying said sub-base, the wall at the end of the playing surface having vertical recesses therein and partition members removably secured to said base and extending over the removable extension into the recesses in said end wall.

GUSTAVE A. SWENSON. 

